#Martha and Mickey deserved better

[tangerinelabyrinth]

In theory Martha Jones and Mickey Smiths relationship makes sense. In both of their stories they had similar themes to each other and if they had planned out their relationship (like they should have done) it wouldn't have been far off the realm of possibility that they would end up together.

Unfortunately, their story was non-existent reduced to a fifteen second clip mentioning that they were married and never showing us how they got there. Last, we leave Martha engaged to her fiancé saying goodbye to the Doctor and taking off with Mickey and Jack, with Jack mentioning her quitting UNIT and hinting that he had a job for her at Torchwood because at that time Torchwood had lost two members. (RIP- Toshiko and Owen).

I've seen talk recently that their entire relationship was put together as a joke, which just further shows how little the show, and the show runner cared for Martha's character, and because of the lack of reasoning behind the relationship feels as though last minute they decided to shove the only two black characters together. (Which is exactly what they did)

Having them end up together feels to me like a slap in the face, as it ruins all the development the characters had went through especially Martha. I hate it even more when people say it's perfect that they ended up together because both of them couldn't end up with who they wanted. (Rose and Ten) (I can't even get into depth on why I don't like when people say that because my thoughts aren't working)

The only way Martha and Mickeys relationship makes sense is if they joined Torchwood together, or Mickey joins UNIT otherwise what would be the reason for them to be around each other so much that Martha breaks up with her previous fiancé. We know Jack calls Martha in series three of Torchwood and mentions Martha being on her honeymoon, which is most likely with Mickey. I guess there is always the possibility that Martha and Mickey just decided to become freelance alien hunters together and did not join Torchwood at all, Jack did only say that perhaps Martha should do something else besides UNIT but didn't say Torchwood.

It would be nice if the showrunner actually cared for the characters, (The only two main characters of color at the time) and actually put thought into the relationship so it didn't quite literally come out of nowhere. Even having Martha and Mickey somehow come together in that episode and maybe sharing some flirty or even just friendly banter would have been a bit better in segueing into the fact they get married.

It's a shame for how little they cared for these characters and their story, it honestly feels as if they were just used as tools for both the Doctor and Rose. This is one reason in the multitude of others why I won't stop talking about the disrespect and treatment of Martha, (And the characters of color in all the fandoms I'm in) and why those who deny that these characters are treated unfairly by both the media they are in, and the fans are wrong the proof is right there. Martha's story ends unfinished, and her and Mickey get thrown together as a joke.

These are my thoughts on Mickey and Marthas Relationship, it could have worked but it didn't.

[accio-motivation]

[aletterinthenameofsanity]

Does it ever hit you that Martha sat down in New New York and told the Doctor that she needed his honesty more than she needed to go home and that religious music played in the background at that scene and it was almost framed as a confession, in the most religious sense, and go a little bit feral? That as early as her third episode, she was framed as his equal, equally divine, equally a doctor, able to confront him, able to make him honest, able to sympathize with him, able to abide with him? That so few companions have ever spent so much time in one time period with the Doctor (1969/1913, for example), being with him/her, not running, just staying? That for every fucking thing Ten did wrong as John Smith/after coming back to himself in Human Nature/Family of Blood, he trusted her enough to leave himself vulnerable and human in her care, because he trusted her as a Doctor, because she was just as much a Doctor as he was? That Martha was, more than any other companion of the Tenth Doctor's, his equal, that her final speech about not being second was not just talking about her not being second best to Rose but about being second best to him? That she finally understood what had been true from the moment that they met and she closed Stoker's eyes and the Doctor realized that she had not just bravery and cleverness but a kindness that he had forgotten, that Martha Jones, more than anything else, has been and always will be The Doctor?

[juviavevo]

finding out ncuti gatwa is the new doctor, david tennant is returning for 3 specials and rtd is returning as a writer so you excitingly decide to rewatch all of doctor who (2005) again since 2014: no fear

actually rewatching doctor who (2005) again and realising that the rtd1 era was more antiblack than you remembered it to be and he’s now also writing the first black (main) doctor: one fear

[khruschevshoe]

Still not over how much I genuinely enjoy Mickey Smith in Season 2 and 4 and his character arc and how much it makes sense that he and Martha might gravitate towards each other post-Journey's End because they're both the only modern companions to voluntarily leave the Doctor and the TARDIS because they understand that they can be of more purpose on earth (whether that be in modern earth or fighting the Cybermen in Pete's World). They're both so underrated and there were so many issues with the handling of their plotlines sometimes (the antiblackness of RTD's Era is my one main issue with his writing, because otherwise his era and the Doctors' and companion's arcs slap so hard) but I love both their arcs of finding self-worth/purpose so much!

[randomalistic]

What is wrong with this show LMFAO

[menlove]

us ten/martha girlies were in the TRENCHES back in the day I can never forget. at least now u can say u like martha without everyone throwing up and crying asking why you hate rose like. I'm so glad the fandom grew up a lil but I'm gonna be honest I don't think I'll ever be able to fully enjoy ten & rose bc of it 😭

[karenkhachanov]

bueno

im rewatching doctor who

2 seasons in a day (not all the episodes but close)

im going insane BUT

i love martha

[fagsex]

i domt like tenmartha cuz she deserves better #feminist

[fritzmonorail]

Yeah, I’m OK with this I guess. Maybe not. Probably not. I’ll hear all arguments. I’m interested in hearing what other people think.

I guess there’s something interesting to be said about the fact that Mickey spent all that time simping for Rose, but she was so head over heels for the doctor that he never stood a chance.

Meanwhile, Martha spent a whole season pining after the doctor, but he was so broken up about Rose that she never stood a chance. It’s like they’re both casualties of the same relationship.

OK, I talked myself into it. Maybe this kind of works.

[casasupernovas]

i know i ship tenmartha but can we talk about how the tom literally worked in a&e. they were destined to meet, and the doctor was literally blocking her destiny highkey. much to think about.

TOM ELLIS and FREEMA AGYEMAN ➥ Doctor Who 3.13 - Last of the Time Lords

[akajustmerry]

What did Russel T Davies do to Freema Agyeman? (I love her and I need to know who i have to kill and why)

I love her too! But to answer your questions: RTD wrote Martha Jones in a racialised way that made her more susceptible to fan racism than she already was as a visibly Black woman. He wrote Ten in a way that he's straight up cruel to her, doesn't protect her from racism or even have the same level of empathy for her as other white companions. To this day, discussing the racism Freema endured at the hands of fans as a result of the way RTD wrote Martha has brought Freema to tears. Princess Weekes dropped a whole video essay on the racism in the way Martha and Mickey were written, which you can watch here. Also, I've shared this article before but this is a great breakdown of the Misogynoir in Martha's characterisation <3

[borrowedtimeandspace]

Ad Perpetuam Memoriam

AU: The Donna Trilogy | If I Could Turn Back Time

Note: Farewell, Ten...

Not a ton of actual g/t in this one, as per usual in If I Could Turn Back Time. More of a recontextualization of Ten's regeneration.

~~~

Burning.

Everything inside, burning like the sun.

It was all the Doctor could do to contain it all. He'd held it in for as long as he could. Now it was coming for him. To take him away, and replace him with some new man.

He'd done his best to make the most of his remaining time. That was his reward, after all. Getting to say goodbye.

And he had, in his way. Seeing faces that had been all together not so long ago, now scattered across time and space. Doing good and living their own lives.

For most of them, he hadn't said a word. Not because there was nothing to say, but he was never one for a proper goodbye. In his mind, this was better. Saving Martha and Mickey. Introducing Jack to another familiar face. Even protecting young Luke from harm and being able to wave goodbye to his dear Sarah Jane one last time. 

It got more complicated as he held a copy of A Journal of Impossible Things and stood in line to meet and have it signed by the author.

Verity Newman. The great-granddaughter of Joan Redfern, the woman whose heart he inadvertently broke when she fell in love with his human persona back in 1913.

Whether he meant to or not, the Doctor had hurt Joan in one of the most painful ways possible. In John Smith, she had found a love deep and profound, and had no way of knowing that his life was not only false, but fleeting by design. The Doctor was a living reminder of that fact. 

That's why he couldn't bring himself to visit her directly, even though it would have been easy enough to do in the TARDIS. He had no doubt that seeing him again would do more harm than good. At best she would turn him away, as she had done so long ago, before he could get one word in.

No apology in the universe could satisfy that hurt.

What was almost worse was that, as he waited his turn to speak with Verity and have her sign a copy of the novelisation of Joan’s journal, she wasn't the only person on his mind.

Ever since he started his farewell tour, he had at least a vague plan for how to visit everyone he wanted to see. For Joan, this was the best he could do. It wouldn't make amends, but would at least acknowledge what he did wrong. After this signing, he had an idea for an indirect goodbye for the Nobles. And though he couldn't cross universes to see Rose one last time, he still had opportunities to at least glimpse her in the past.

And there was still one person he was incapable of seeing again.

He did his best to push that thought out of his mind. The man in front of him was walking away, and it was his turn to see Verity. She and Joan deserved better than absentmindedness in that moment.

~~~

The wedding was beautiful. Well, what little the Doctor saw of it from the outside, in the aftermath of the actual ceremony. Donna and Shaun were glowing, showered with flower petals in the pleasant spring breeze. 

When the Doctor managed to catch Sylvia Noble and Wilfred Mott's attention, he was sure to keep the conversation with them short, yet meaningful. He simply gave them the gift he'd brought, and explained how he was able to come by it. 

A small token from Sylvia's late husband to give to his daughter on her wedding day. 

He stuck around long enough to see it given to Donna. She had no clue about the weight it carried, but her mother and grandfather could silently appreciate it. After everything he and Wilfred had gone through that Christmas, saying goodbye to him and Sylvia felt just as important as saying it to Donna. Even if he couldn't say so directly to her without risking her safety.

Wilfred had been a rock for the Doctor in the time leading up to the end. Out of anyone on the planet, he was the one who managed to hunt the Doctor down fairly quickly, and right when he needed someone. 

At first it was just good to have someone to talk to again. Traveling alone was starting to take its toll. With the foreboding feeling of his death hanging overhead, he'd had nobody to open up to about it, nobody who might even begin to understand what that meant for him.

“I'm going to die.” Four small words that had felt like a cold anvil resting on his hearts.

He knew Wilf was well-meaning when he brought the Doctor to a cafe close to where he knew Donna would be. Hearing about her life without him was bittersweet. She'd gone back to living as an ordinary human, struggling as the rest of them did. Engaged to a friendly-looking man, sharing that ordinary life with him. And yet something within her was aware that she’d lost something, and yearned for it without knowing what or why.

Still, it meant the world to the Doctor to see her again.

Then Wilf had to go and ask him. “Who have you got now?”

“No one,” the Doctor had to answer.

“What about…” Wilf had trailed off when he glanced to the Doctor's shoulders, the breast pocket of his jacket, and found them both empty. Looking him in the eyes once more, that emptiness was present there, too. Wilf's heart sank. “Did something happen to the little ‘un?”

The Doctor's jaw clenched at the reminder. Memories crashed over him like a wave before he could do a thing to push them down. A horrible man pointing his device toward the only friend he had left to travel with since Donna had to go. Calling Zepheera's name just as the device fired, a shot of blue light engulfing the inches-tall woman and leaving nothing behind.

It hadn't killed her, but to the Doctor it might as well have. It had displaced her in time and space, and he had not a single lead as to where or when she ended up. 

If she were human, hunting her down would have been difficult but potentially doable. Like finding a needle in a haystack. But she was a borrower; not only small in stature, but hard-wired to survive by remaining hidden and not making waves. It turned the search into finding one particular mote of dust in a haystack the size of a skyscraper on an empty and uncharted asteroid floating in the Void.

“Lost,” the Doctor finally managed to tell Wilfred. “For good.”

Wilf's face fell. “Oh, I…”

“Traveling alone, now,” the Doctor pressed on before Wilf could get out his condolences. Feelings and memories now swirled around him in a maelstrom, and he was struggling to bring them to order. But maybe they needed to come out.

Right then, there was nobody he trusted more with his vulnerability than Wilfred Mott.

“I thought it would be better alone.” At this, he broke eye contact. He couldn't hide the shame in his expression, in his voice, as he admitted, “But I did some things that went wrong.”

Mars was still fresh in his mind. The water creatures overtaking Bowie Base One. Knowing full well that the demise of the crew was a fixed point in time, and being unable to resist sticking around and helping them anyway. Only to ultimately decide that he was through standing by any more when he could do something to change it.

Because who in the universe could stop him if he tried?

He learned the answer to that when he brought the few surviving members of the crew back to Earth. As he reflected on his attitude back then, the way he spoke to them and especially Adelaide…talking her up as an important figure that he'd managed to save from her established fate while waving off basically everyone else as little people. It made his insides clench in hindsight.

Donna would have given him a smack for that kind of talk, if he was lucky. And Zepheera… If she'd heard that, she'd probably never speak to the Doctor again.

And in the end, it hadn't ‘fixed’ anything at all. Adelaide still died, and her legacy remained largely unchanged. The Doctor hadn't accomplished a single thing in his act of arrogant defiance.

He thought that traveling alone would mean that he couldn't lose anyone else. Instead, he realized then that it just meant the only person he had left to lose was himself.

“I need–!”

At that point, the Doctor cut himself short and buried his face in his hands. He could feel the floodgates weakening, and finally made an effort to rein himself in. Wilfred wasn't asking for him to dump all those emotions on him at once, and breaking down in the middle of a cafe did no one any good.

Not him. Not Donna. Certainly not Zepheera.

Though they split off shortly after that, having Wilfred around for the journey to come had been a balm. The Doctor had someone to talk to, someone with ideas that weren't his own. More than that, he cared for the Doctor and had his best interests at heart when the Time Lord could only focus on the daunting tasks at hand.

He was almost surprised when Wilfred's response to learning that the Doctor was over 900 years old was to reflect on humanity in comparison and remark, “We must look like insects to you.”

Oh, no. The Doctor could never look at them that way. Least of all after he'd experienced traveling with someone like Zepheera.

A large part of his travels were taken in through the eyes of his companions. They were the ones with fresh perspectives on things the Doctor took for granted. On occasion, his human friends could help him realize the enormity of his decisions and actions. With Zepheera, it was a daily reminder of that. She found the strength and bravery to face a universe greater and wider than even humans could perceive it. 

The Doctor had even managed to find a way to literally see things from her point of view, and that was in the forefront of his mind as he regarded Wilfred fondly and replied, “I think you look like giants.”

She would have loved this, thought the Doctor as he looked back on Donna's wedding festivities. Seeing Donna so full of joy on the happiest day of her life… It was a sight the Doctor wanted to remember for the rest of time. He only wished Zepheera could have been there to see it, too.

And wherever and whenever Zepheera was, he wished for the same thing he had for Joan Redfern. That she was happy in whatever life she'd made for herself.

The Doctor's work was done here. He could feel himself running out of time, and he still had one more stop to make. But he was so reluctant to leave this place. Especially considering what came next.

~~~

There was no stopping it. The Doctor knew that painfully well.

Already the regeneration energy had begun to flow from his hands, even as he piloted his ship into orbit. He barely paid attention to the time he set it to, simply determined to not start whatever new life that waited for him in 2005. He couldn't risk changing anything that happened with Rose before it even began.

It wasn't fair.

That thought turned over and over in his mind. This face, this life, was still so fresh. He'd only had it a handful of years, and to have it so quickly snuffed out… Sure, he'd done quite a lot in that time, but it still felt all too fleeting. Barely a blip in his 900 years.

He could still hear himself shouting to absolutely nothing and no one, “I could do so much more! So! Much! More!” That feeling was still there, but the anger had largely settled. Now it just made him sad, seeing the end so rapidly encroaching on him.

The worst part was that he was well and truly alone for it. Rose had been there when he'd changed last, hers was the first face he saw with fresh eyes. Even when he'd sort of regenerated with the metacrisis, he'd had Rose, Donna, and even Jack there with him.

Now the TARDIS, the one place that felt like home, was so terribly cold and empty.

The Doctor could feel the heat rising, spreading from his core. Soon it would take over every cell in his body, rewrite everything that made him himself.

He wasn't ready. None of this was right.

“I don't wanna go,” he uttered, sounding so small and helpless even to himself.

No one was there to hear it. He felt no comfort or warmth in his final moment. Only the burning of a sun as his vision turned gold.

[doctorwhonerdadi3]

Ranking New Who Companions

What classes as a companion in Doctor Who is a difficult one for me to answer. On one hand I would say it's someone who travels with the Doctor, but then we'd be here all day listing out everyone that has been in the Tardis. So I have decided to limit it only to the characters who are the named companions for each Doctor. Simple right? Choosing who I liked more over each companion was a difficult one. As always this is just opinion based and honestly, my opinions for each of these companions changes regularly. That being said, I have made an attempt at ranking them.

Number 12: Ryan Sinclair

Ryan is, for me, probably the most forgettable of Whittaker's companions. It doesn't mean he is bad, I just don't enjoy him as much as the others. I've seen Whittaker's run a couple of times and I barely remember anything about Ryan other than he had Dyspraxia and sucked his thumb.

Number 11: Rose Tyler

Okay, I think Rose being so low down is controversial, but honestly... I don't like her. She is 19 when we meet her and very clearly a product of the 90s/2000s. She spends most of her time as a love struck teenager, who is constantly jealous of any woman who gets near the Doctor. It's strange because series 1 and Eccleston are my favourite of New who. Her 'lovestruck' phase really shines in Tennants first series. Either way, she is my number 11.

Number 10: Clara Oswald

I enjoyed Clara when she showed up as a Dalek in Asylum of the Daleks. I enjoyed Clara when she was in The Snowmen. But then it kind of stopped. Her run with Smith just didn't do it for me. She did better with Capaldi but I think that is mostly down to him actually letting her have a life as a teacher, go on dates, etc. It gave her chance to really shine.

Number 9: Graham O'Brien

I just had to google Graham's last name, that is how much I don't really like him. Dealing with bereavement is difficult, and being the oldest of your group is also a challenge. I think 'Rosa' was when Graham really shined. Idolizing her and then having to be the reason that she didn't give up her seat on the bus... Graham was actually a well rounded character in a series of none rounded characters.

Number 8: Yazmin Khan

Yaz had the longest run with Whittaker, probably down to her crush. She proved herself to be a smart woman, who could handle herself. When we first met her, she was training to be a police woman, which shows that she has the strength and courage to succeed. I enjoyed her as a companion.

Number 7: Donna Nobel

Okay, time to be controversial again. I love Donna, as I am sure everyone else does, but she isn't my favourite. She was heart warming and smart, plus she had a bit of a temper and slapped the Doctor. What more do you want from a companion? She truely was a mate of the Doctor, and after the 60th anniversary specials- she got the ending she deserved.

Number 6: Dan Lewis

What? I'm putting Dan above Donna, have I gone crazy? Probably. John Bishop cannot act. However... I really liked his character. She was chill. He had a wok. He was kind of resourceful. The only thing I didn't really like was how he outed Yaz to the Doctor.

Number 5: Martha Jones

I love Martha. I think she is truely underrated as a companion. She often gets overshined by Rose, which is annoying. Take away the ending where she married Mickey, I didn't like that, and you have an amazing character. Smart, resourceful, brave. Everything you need to be the Doctor's companion. This woman walked the Earth for the Doctor. She should have married Tom though.

Number 4: Ruby Sunday

Our new new who companion. I think part of the reason that series 15/Season 1 did so well was because of Millie Gibson's performance. She started out a little rocky, but she soon grew into a companion I loved. Her performance in Boom and 73 Yards really solidified her as a great companion in my opinion.

Number 3: Amy Pond

The girl who waited. Amy's run as a companion was beautiful. She had her boys and her spaceship and she was off. She did start out a bit shakey, trying to sleep with the Doctor the night before her wedding, but if you look at it from her character arc it makes sense.

Number 2: Bill Potts

Bill's death was heart breaking and was 100% the Doctor's fault. Shot through the chest and then turned into a Cyberman. Ouch. She was a fun companion and she brought a ray of sunshine to a rather dark Doctor who had just lost his previous companion. Also I love the Cybermen design for when she got turned into one. It was very classic who.

Number 1: Rory Williams

And finally we have Rory the Roman. Well deserving of the first spot. He waited 2000 years for Amy in the Pandorica. He loved her unconditionally from childhood. He was a nurse. This man was brave and strong all at once. I was heart broken when he got erased from time and Amy forgot him. Luckily he came back... Until he died again.

[lady-of-the-spirit]

I think if any doctor who companion could get the actual devil to fall in love with them it would be Martha. Where's that fic.

You're telling me there isn't a single Lucifer/Doctor Who crossover fic where Tom Milligan and Lucifer are the same person and Martha finds out she's engaged to the devil

[a-kiss-inthe-dreamhouse]

Two things about 'The Giggle' -

1.) RTD taking the piss out of Moffat's companion/arc endings during the puppet show then repeating his own ending without an ounce of irony is the funniest thing ever.

2.) No mention of Martha Jones. She's been friendzoned so hard I'm tempted to start writing Martha Jones/Yasmin Khan crackfic. They deserve better than Mickey and an ice cream cone, respectively.